Downdraft-stove.



' PATENTED MAYZB, 1.903.

W. F. WOLFE. DOWNDRAFT STOVE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED AUG. 25, 1899.

2 BHEETS-SHBET 1.

ND MODEL.

ATTORNEY No. 729,028. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

W. F. WOLFE.

DOWNDRAFT STOVE. v APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1899.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

INYENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY No. 729,028. Patented May 26, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILTSIE F. WOLFE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE SMOKELESS COMBUSTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

DOWNDRAFT-STOVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,028, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed August 25, 1899. Serial No. 728,435. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Similar letters and numerals of reference Be it known that I, VVILTSIE F. WOLFE, a designate corresponding parts throughout the citizen of the United States of America, resid several views of the drawings. ing at New York, in the county of New York Referring at present to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 and State of New York, have invented cerof the drawings, the letter A designates a tain new and useful Improvements in Downstove or range adapted for cooking purposes draft-Stoves, of which the following is a speciand for heating water, the same being in genfication. eral of any approved form or construction.

My invention has reference to improve- The stove, as usual, is provided with a fire- :o mentsin downdraft stoves or furnaces-that box or magazine 9', preferably located at or is to say, to those in which the air necessary near its front, which is closed at its bottom for the combustion of the fuel or the mainby a suitable fuel-support 10, preferably tenance of the fire is conducted from above made imperforate and adapted to be rocked, the fuel and the products of combustion are dumped, or shaken to remove the ashes or x 5 carried away from below. other solid products of combustion to the ash- 6 5 My invention has for its object to improve pit 11. In the fire-box or magazine and near and simplify the construction of stoves or furthe rear of the same is placed a bridge-wall naces adapted for the consumption of bitu- 6, which terminates at some distance above minous or soft coals; and to this end it conthe top of the fuel-support, said bridge-wall zo sists, essentially, in the combination, in a beingsecured in the stove atits opposite ends downdraft-stove, of a fire-box or magazine, a and held from above by means of a hanger '7, fuel-support at the bottom of the [ire-box or bolted or otherwise secured to the top plate magazine, and an air-directing plate, guard, 12 of the stove. To the top plate 12 of the or skirt extending around or partially around stove is secured a downwardly-extending air- 25 the said fire-box or magazine and adjacent to directing plate 4, which extends along the the wall or walls of the same, all constructed front wall of the fire-box or magazine and also for the purpose of conducting the air and the along the side walls of the same, it being arproducts of combustion downwardly through ranged adjacent to said'walls to leave a space the fuel under the influence of the draft in a 3 between said plate and the walls, so as to 30 solid sheet. permit the passage of air under theinfiuence The nature of my invention will best be unof the chimney-draft to the fuel from above derstood when described in connection with in a line following the walls or part of the the accompanying drawings, in which walls of the fire-box or magazine. The space Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a between the walls of the furnace and the air- 35 cooking-stove embodying my invention, part directing plate may be preserved by means 8 being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan or top of suitable lugs 5, adapted to bear against view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the the walls of the furnace. The air necessary line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4-. is a vertical section for combustion is supplied to the passage 3 similar to Fig. 1, but drawn on an enlarged through openings 2, formed, preferably, at

0 scale. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof the air the front of the stove, and the quantity of this directing plate, drawn on the same scale as air may be regulated by a suitable gate 1 in a Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section similar to usual manner. Between said supply-passage Fig. 1, but illustrating a modified manner of for air and the openings 2 I prefer to form an introducing the air into the fire-box or-magaair-chamber 13, so as to equalize the supply of 45 zine. Fig. 7 is a plan or top View of the conair throughout the passage. struction shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a verti- The air entering between the air-directing cal section of a heating-stove provided with plate and the walls of the furnace under the myimprovements. Fig. 9 is a horizontal secaction of the chimney or other draft passes tion on the line 9 9, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan downwardly through the fuel along said 50 or top viewof the construction shownin Fig. 8. walls, and the combustion of fuel gradually 10o I with fiat surface, it is of course to be understood that the plate may be made with a corrises vertically along the path of the downward current of air, with the result that a vertical channel is formed in the coal along the line of air-supply. The coal adjacent to this channel naturally falls into such channel, and consequently the coal in the fire-box or magazine is continuously fed toward such channel, and therefore'the body of the fuel is being continually broken up or agitated and caking or packing is positively prevented.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 I have shown the air supplied to the passage 3 from the front of the stove-that is to say, horizontally; but of course it is understood that the air can be supplied from above. This latter construction I have shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10' I have shown a method ofapplying the air-directing plate to ordinary heating-stoves of circular design. Referring to said figures, the air-directing plate 4 is shown to be cylindrical in form with a conical top and secured to the top plate 12, orit may form a part of the latter. The top of the stove is closed by a cover 14, which can be removed for the introduction of fuel. The air-directing plate is of such diameter as to approach closely to the walls of the fire-box or magazine 9, and all; is admitted to the intervening space 3 through openings 2, controlled by a suitable gate 1, as before described. The equalizing-chamber13is formed by the conical portion of the air-directing plate. At the bottom of the fire-box or magazine are formed lateral openings 15 for the passage of the products of combustion from the fire-box or magazine upwardly to the flue 16, leading to the chimney. The bottom of the fire-box or magazine is closed by a fuelsupport 10 of any suitable construction, preferably an imperforate support.

It is evident that the air-directing plate need not necessarily extend entirely around the fire-box or magazine,'as shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10.

While I have herein shown the air-directing plate in circular and trough-shaped forms ru ated surface or surfaces or in other form.

,=* lhe equalizing-chamber 15, above referred to, serves to effect an even distribution of the air above and throughout the extent of the opening or passage through which the air is directed upon the fuel, so that the air is directed downward upon the fuel evenly and tends to effect uniform combustion at all points along said inlet.

What I claim as new is- 1. In a downdraft stove or heater, the combination with a fire-boxhaving a lateral outlet for gases at or near the level of the fuelsupport, of a directing plate or guard extending downward within said fire-box at a short distance from and standing substantially parallel with the outer wall thereof, and serving to produce between itself and said wall an extended flue or passage for directing the supply of air downward upon and into the fuel in a thin sheet or stratum.

2. In combination with the fire-box of a stove or heater, having a lateral outlet for gases at or near the level of the fuel-support, a directing plate or guard extending downward within the fire-box in proximity to and continuing substantially parallel with an outer wall thereof,and terminating at or above the fire-level, substantially as described, whereby there is formed a flue or passage to direct a stratum of air downward upon and into the fuel and in contact with the Wall of the fire-box, along a considerable portion of the horizontal extent of said Wall.

3. In combination with the firebox of a stove or heater having a lateral passage or outlet for the gases at or near the level of the fuel-support, a directing plate or guard extending downward within the fire-box in proximity to an outer wall thereof and terminating at or above the fire-level, substantially as described, the space between the fire-box Wall and the skirt or guard being of greater capacity in its upper than in its lower portion, whereby an equalizing air-chamber is produced; and a gate or damper opening into said air-space and serving to control the ingress of air thereto,substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. WILTSIE F. WOLFE.

Witnesses:

EUGENIE P. HENDRICKSON, GEORGE E. BRUNDAGE. 

